Having to deal with the fear of a new pandemic is difficult. Having to fear for those you care about and yourself can be difficult, too. No matter how safe you are, it seems that COVID will be a revolving issue- especially when you are in college. Being a student during a pandemic has felt like a whole new ballgame, one that I was not prepared for. Having the novelty of taking classes online for the first time, to perhaps not being able to leave your home at all for a period of time. It is difficult.
How is it that many of us are aware of the deadly consequences COVID brings, but yet chose to neglect its warnings? Where your home is no longer a safe place, but a mere cocktail of misunderstandings, and roommates that are not on the same page.
On Thursday, Feb. 25, I received the news that I was positive for COVID-19. The efforts I have made to stay safe and healthy has deemed itself to be useless. From there on it was time to figure out what I was going to do for classes that needed my presence and connections needed to find a new mentor. In the meantime, I had two concerned parents urging me to go home in the case I needed to be hospitalized or needed general care for my sickness. Admittedly I let myself be cared for considering it was my first-time home in a long time, but what better way to spend your sickness than to have your mom’s delicious cooking.
After a few days went by, I realized I could not do much but sleep. COVID was taking a lot of my energy. I wish I could have taken that time and get schoolwork done, but that did not happen. In fact, I had to miss crucial class time that would have been in my best interest to have been there.
Alas, there was nothing I could have done differently. All that people can do is work together to get ourselves out of this mess safely. This is our reality for now, and what you do to acclimate to its new demands shows what you are made of and shows what role you played in this time of history. I am grateful to say that as of now, my family and I are vaccinated. I am hopeful to see the case numbers go down soon.
